An Internet of Things (IOT) device is any physical device that can communicate through a network with other devices, and/or people. These devices may have the ability to communicate with other devices over a communications network (e.g., Internet). One use case for such objects is to allow them to be monitored and remotely controlled. For example, an IOT device may be monitored and controlled over the communications network.
Most of the conventional IOT architectures are flat and cloud centric architectures. They are flat architectures, because devices are expected to communicate directly with each other with just an Internet router or two between objects and the communications network. They are cloud centric architectures because all communications between devices, as well as between devices and users, typically go through a central cloud network.
Data (e.g., transfer of ownership data) regarding such devices (whether IOT devices or not) can be stored remotely in the cloud. However, this presents a number of challenges. Firstly, such data that is stored remotely is susceptible to data breaches. Further, the owners of the devices have less control over the data, since it is typically managed by some central entity that may or may not have an interest in the devices. Furthermore, once one owner of a device disposes of the device, the history associated with that owner's ownership of that device that is stored in the cloud could be replaced or become inaccessible.
While the above-described architectures can be used, a number of improvements could be made.
Thus, new and enhanced methods for storing and retrieving device data are needed. Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems, individually and collectively.